Thriller 40
| Thriller 40 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 📅 Released | November 18, 2022 | |||
| 🎙️ Recorded | 1981–1982 | |||
| Studio | Westlake (Los Angeles, California) | |||
| ⏳ Length | 42:16 (Disc 1) 42:53 (Disc 2) | |||
| 🏷️ Label | ||||
| 🤑 Producer | ||||
| Michael Jackson chronology | ||||
| ||||
Buy this album Thriller 40 or listen to it on amazon
Thriller 40 is the 40th anniversary edition reissue of American singer Michael Jackson's sixth studio album Thriller (1982). The original album has sold 70 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling album of all time. Thriller 40 was released on November 18, 2022, cooperation with Epic, Legacy Recordings and MJJ Productions. It is his first posthumous album in five years since the release of 2017's Scream.[1] Thriller 40 marks the third reissue of the original record, following the 2001 special edition and Thriller 25 (2008).
Background[edit]
Jackson released his sixth studio album, Thriller, on November 30, 1982. With sales estimated to be over 70 million copies worldwide[nb 1],[7][8][9] Thriller became the world's best-selling album of all time; the album was the first in history to yield seven top-ten singles. The success of Thriller put Jackson into the dominating position of pop music, becoming an international pop-cultural icon.[10]
Marketing and promotion[edit]
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American singer Maxwell performed "The Lady in My Life" at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards.[11] He said, "I'm feeling honored to be here, honored to be able to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Thriller. I've been up since six in the morning trying to get everything together and, you know, just want to do right — it's Michael Jackson. There's nobody better, nobody greater, so I just want to do it well."[12]
Several other activities are planned before the eventual release of Thriller 40.[13] On September 8, the original demo for Jackson's song "Behind the Mask" (which was previously remixed for the 2010 posthumous album Michael) was revealed to be one of the 10 tracks on the reissue's disc of bonus material.[14] On September 15, a previously unreleased song titled "She's Trouble" was the second announced bonus track for the album. On September 22, an early demo version of "Best of Joy" (released in the Michael album), entitled "The Toy" (intended for the 1982 Richard Pryor film of the same name) was confirmed to be another bonus track. On September 29, a previously released song titled "Got the Hots" was announced. On October 6th, a never-before-heard song entitled "What a Lovely Way to Go" (mentioned by Jackson in 1993 Mexico deposition as "What a Lonely Way to Go" and reworked by Mark Ronson as "Lovely Way" in 2010 for possible inclusion on Michael) was announced. On October 13, a track previously released on The Ultimate Collection, "Sunset Driver" (mixed by Bill Bottrell, who later co-produced the Dangerous album) was announced. On October 20, the track "Carousel", formerly released on Thriller: Special Edition (in short form) and several editions of King of Pop (in more complete from) was announced for inclusion on the second disc. On October 27, the first demo of "Thriller" titled "Starlight" was announced on second disc. On November 3, the track "Can't Get Outta the Rain", previously released on the b-side of "The Girl Is Mine" and based on "You Can't Win" (which was the soundtrack of the 1978 musical film The Wiz), was announced. The song was re-recorded for the 1982 release. On November 10, a previously unreleased and unheard demo named "Who Do You Know" was announced as the final track on Disc 2.
On October 4, music journalist and filmmaker Nelson George announced he was directing a documentary on the making of Thriller, which will include never-before-seen footage.[15]
The Michael Jackson Estate also teased the release of Thriller era music videos in 4K.
On November 1, the Michael Jackson Estate and Sony Music launched a worldwide campaign to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the album Thriller, featuring Fan Event Parties, Immersive Experience to be held in two countries: Düsseldorf, Germany on November 10-13 and New York on November 18-20 and there will be an event filming that will be part of a documentary about Thriller on November 30.[16]
On November 14, the Michael Jackson Estate released the 4K version of Jackson's "Beat It" music video on YouTube.[17] A 4K remaster of the "Thriller" short film also appeared on iTunes and Tidal, though it was removed shortly after. On November 17, the 4K remastered "Thriller" short film was released on YouTube.
Release[edit]
Announced on May 16, 2022, by the Estate of Michael Jackson, Thriller 40 is the twelfth release by Sony and/or Motown since Jackson's death in 2009. The company also announced additional releases of the original album by audiophile reissue label Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab on both stereo Super Audio CD and LP, limited to 40,000 numbered copies.[18][19] The latter portion of the announcement was later credited by The Washington Post journalist Geoff Edgers with fueling public skepticism towards Mobile Fidelity that culminated in a subsequent controversy over them using Direct Stream Digital files in vinyl releases that were marketed as coming directly from analog master tapes.[20] The company also surprise released 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos versions of the original album on Amazon Music and Apple Music respectively on the same day as Thriller 40.[21]
Track listing[edit]
| Disc 1: Thriller | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" | Michael Jackson |
| 6:02 |
| 2. | "Baby Be Mine" | Rod Temperton | Jones | 4:20 |
| 3. | "The Girl Is Mine" (with Paul McCartney) | Jackson |
| 3:42 |
| 4. | "Thriller" | Temperton | Jones | 5:57 |
| 5. | "Beat It" | Jackson |
| 4:18 |
| 6. | "Billie Jean" | Jackson |
| 4:54 |
| 7. | "Human Nature" | Jones | 4:06 | |
| 8. | "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" |
| Jones | 3:59 |
| 9. | "The Lady in My Life" | Temperton | Jones | 4:59 |
| Total length: | 42:16 | |||
| Disc 2: Bonus Material | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Starlight" |
| Jones | 5:04 |
| 2. | "Got the Hots" (Demo) |
|
| 4:25 |
| 3. | "Who Do You Know" (Demo) | Jackson | Jackson | 5:23 |
| 4. | "Carousel" | Jones | 3:39 | |
| 5. | "Behind the Mask" (Mike's Mix, Demo) | Jackson | 5:01 | |
| 6. | "Can't Get Outta the Rain" |
|
| 4:06 |
| 7. | "The Toy" (Demo) | Jackson | Jackson | 3:04 |
| 8. | "Sunset Driver" (Demo) |
|
| 4:03 |
| 9. | "What a Lovely Way to Go" (Demo) |
|
| 3:55 |
| 10. | "She's Trouble" (Demo) |
|
| 4:13 |
| Total length: | 42:53 | |||
| Deluxe edition bonus tracks (Digital only) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
| 20. | "Billie Jean" (Home Demo from 1981) | Jackson | Jackson | 2:20 |
| 21. | "Billie Jean" (Long Version) | Jackson |
| 6:20 |
| 22. | "Billie Jean 2008" (Kanye West Mix) | Jackson |
| 4:35 |
| 23. | "Beat It" (Demo) | Jackson | Jackson | 2:03 |
| 24. | "Beat It 2008" (with Fergie) | Jackson |
| 4:11 |
| 25. | "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Demo) | Jackson | Jackson | 5:43 |
| 26. | "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Tommy D's Main Mix) | Jackson |
| 7:40 |
| 27. | "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" (with Akon) |
| 4:14 | |
| 28. | "Human Nature" (7" Remix) |
| Jones | 3:45 |
| 29. | "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (Demo Version) |
| Jackson | 3:46 |
| 30. | "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 2008" (with will.i.am) |
|
| 4:21 |
| 31. | "The Girl Is Mine 2008" (with will.i.am) |
|
| 3:10 |
| 32. | "Thriller" (7" Special Edit) | Temperton | Jones | 4:37 |
| 33. | "Thriller" (Def Thriller Mix) | Temperton | 7:22 | |
| 34. | "Thriller Megamix" |
|
| 9:14 |
| Total length: | 73:21 | |||
Total duration: 158:30
Notes
- ^[a] signifies a co-producer
Charts[edit]
| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[22] | 6 |
Release history[edit]
| Country | Date | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Various | November 18, 2022 |
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Gail Mitchell (May 16, 2022). "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' Celebrates 40th Anniversary With Double-CD Set". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2022. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Caulfield, Keith (February 16, 2017). "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' Extends Reign as Highest Certified Album in U.S. History". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
- ↑ Durchholz, Daniel (November 30, 2012). "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' At 30: Classic Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
- ↑ Wyman, Bill (January 4, 2013). "Did "Thriller" Really Sell a Hundred Million Copies?". The New Yorker. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ Bialik, Carl (July 14, 2009). "How Many Albums Did Michael Jackson Sell?". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ Lara, David (May 12, 2012). "Michael Jackson's 'Bad' Gets a Revamp and More Inflated Sales!". Impre. ImpreMedia. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ "Best-selling album". Guinness World Records. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
- ↑ "Adele's 21 overtakes sales of Thriller in UK album list". BBC. May 4, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
- ↑ Asian News International (ANI) (September 26, 2020). "MJ nearly scrapped 'Thriller' release". Zee News. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
- ↑ Adams, Anne-Taylor (April 11, 2008). "'XM THRILLER: The Music of Michael Jackson' to Launch March 1 on XM". PRNewswire. Reuters. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2008. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Watch Maxwell Cover Michael Jackson's "The Lady in My Life" at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards". Pitchfork. May 16, 2022.
- ↑ Juneau, Jen; Irvin, Jack (May 15, 2022). "Maxwell Performs Anniversary Tribute to Michael Jackson's Thriller at 2022 Billboard Music Awards". PEOPLE.
- ↑ Aswad, Jem (May 16, 2022). "Michael Jackson's 'Thriller 40' Anniversary Edition Due in the Fall: Unreleased Tracks, Other 'Surprises'". Variety.
- ↑ "Michael Jackson on Instagram: "After hearing the original instrumental recording of this song by the group Yellow Magic Orchestra, Michael reached out to them to ask if he could create a version of the song with lyrics. They readily agreed and Michael wrote the lyrics and recorded the demo which he played at a listening session at his home studio attended by Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton and Greg Phillinganes at which Michael also played the demos for "Billie Jean", "Beat It" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". Unfortunately, "Behind The Mask" didn't make the cut for the Thriller album and, although Michael worked on the track over the years, a finished version wasn't released until the Michael album. But this original demo by Michael has never been released. Link in story."". Instagram. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
- ↑ Carey, Matthew (October 4, 2022). "Documentary On Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' In The Works, From Jackson Estate And Sony Music Entertainment". Deadline.
- ↑ "Upcoming Thriller 40 Events". Michael Jackson Official Site. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
- ↑ "'Beat It' 4K Added To YouTube". Retrieved 2022-11-18.
- ↑ Brown, Preezy (May 16, 2022). "Michael Jackson 'Thriller' 40th Anniversary Album To Include Unreleased Music".
- ↑ Osbourne, Aussie. "TO BE RELEASED: THRILLER 40 – A DOUBLE CD SET OF MICHAEL'S ORIGINAL MASTERPIECE THRILLER & BONUS DISC". Aussie Osbourne. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ↑ Geoff Edgers (2022-08-05). "How a Phoenix record store owner set the audiophile world on fire". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
- ↑ "Thriller 40 - A Double CD Set Of Michael Jackson's Original Masterpiece Thriller & Bonus Disc Out Now". Legacy Recordings. 2022-11-18. Retrieved 2022-11-19.
Immersive audio mixes of Thriller are now available at various DSPs, including 360 Reality Audio on Amazon, Spatial Audio on Apple Music, mixed by Serban Ghenea from the original masters for immersive audio, with the immersive mixes by John Hanes.
- ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2022-11-28" (in Japanese). Oricon.
